“Until He Comes” Mark 13:32-37 FBC Rhinelander
I hope that many of you had a great week of family gatherings over Thanksgiving. Time with others we love is so precious we don’t want it to end. But I’m sure you have heard the saying that people can’t live on love. In order to maintain our love for others, we need to continue to work and serve so we can keep those opportunities and have the resources and time to share our love with others.
One such time in a church is communion since it is a gathering time to celebrate as the beloved in Christ. It reminds us of our union with Christ and each other. Communion is to be celebrated together and often, to remember our redemption through His blood. In order for us to prepare, I wanted to address one reason why we should gather as believers and that is to encourage one another in our life and service to Him.
In 1 Corinthians chapter 11 has our call to remember together Jesus death and resurrection for us.
23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;
24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
As we journey through the gospel of Mark on Sundays, it brought us to chapter 13. There in chapter 13 is a significant reason to celebrate communion together.
Mark 13:32-37 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. “Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. “It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. “Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming — in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning — “lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. “And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” – literally, stay alert!
Another bible passage is Hebrew 10:24-25 states: “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching.”
“Until He comes” is a key idea in these 3 passages. When we are participating at this table, we are reminded that we are to gather together and encourage one another and continue being His faithful disciples by serving each other and sharing the gospel until He returns.
Again, in Hebrews 10:24-25 to prepare for Communion. I want to declare to you that celebrating Communion can remind us that we are to “consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds.”
The word “Provoke” or “stir up” (it really means to “irritate,” “pester”). While we might think this has a negative connotation as to “irritate,” or “pester” one another. Oh, sometimes I hear of Christians who become too good at irritating each other in church. But in Hebrews 10:24 this term is used positively. The positive use is seen not only in the Bible but it was also used by common Greek writers who spoke of good examples provoking others to live a life of honor. (Xenophon [Memoirs of Socrates 3.3.13]
In Hebrews 10:24 it states that we should appeal to each other unto love and good works.
However this activity of provoking one another is supplemented in verse 25 by a negative statement and a positive statement.
The negative statement is a caution to believers not to “neglect meeting together, as is the habit of some.” The verb translated “forsake or neglect” describes an action stronger than simple forgetfulness. It indicates actual abandonment. In other words there is not a reason why a Christian should consistently miss assembling with believers especially since the Greek word translated “assembly” is a term for a local church body. We are created to be together, a fact that will be seen in heaven.
It is hard to argue against the fact that Hebrews 10:24-25 is not speaking about the failure to “come to church.” The question is why was there a problem of believers neglecting to assemble? Some possible reasons are:
• It could have been because of persecution (see 10:32-34; 12:3, 12-14; 13:3),
• or opposition to belief or practice (see 10:29),
• or maybe the delay of Jesus return caused people to stop coming together (see 10:36-39),
• or a combination of these factors, or another problem?
• Modern day reasons can be abuses of religion, demands of work &family discouragement and etc.
Thomas Rainer made a list of some excuses people had for not attending church from a poll he conducted in 2017.
1. “We were out of peanut butter.”
Of course, no one can worship without his or her peanut butter fix.
2. “Both of my girlfriends attend church there.”
I think you might have other challenges.
3. “The worship leader pulls up his pants too often. It’s distracting.”
What are we going to do with those worship leaders?
4. “My kids take naps during that time.”
Bring them to church anyway; they can nap during the message.
5. “Gas prices are too high.”
Have you been outside lately?
6. “We had bacon for breakfast, and our entire family smelled like bacon.”
Bacon aroma is always welcome at our church.
7. “The pastor stays in the Bible too much.”
I’ve noticed that too. Just who does he think he is?
8. “I couldn’t get the lid off the peanut butter.”
I never thought there would be a peanut butter theme to avoiding church.
9. “The church is too close to drive, and too far to walk.”
If you like, we could move our church to the next state, and you could fly in.
10. “Someone called me ‘brother’ instead of using my name.”
At least he didn’t call you “sister.”
There are archeologist and historical scholars that believe it was simply a preoccupation with other affairs. They found a second-century document that speaks of neglect of church meetings because of life distractions with everyday business. (Similitudes of Hermas 8.8.1; 9.20.1).
Whatever problem or problems that contributed to the forsaking of assembly, most bible commentators feel the real problem was a failure to understand and appreciate the significance of the death and exaltation of Christ as our Lord and the significant call for believers to continue Gods work on earth. To put it in frank terms we owe Jesus our life and loyalty. In order to stay on track we need each other to encourage us on that journey.
Also in Hebrews 10:25 there is a positive statement about supporting others through love and good deeds. The verb “to encourage” comes from the same root as “a word of exhortation”. The question is how do we exhort each other? Well, we exhort one another when we worship together, study together, pray together, share our burdens, sing together and celebrate communion together. The bible says a person left to himself will fall. “He who separates himself seeks his own desire, He quarrels against all sound (godly) wisdom. – Proverbs 18:1
We should use every effort to encourage one other “all the more as you see the day approaching.” This phrase refers to the return of Jesus, so as to say “the day.”
Now all that said, I want to list one more reason: Because as Jesus’ followers we are commanded to assemble and celebrate communion.
1 Corinthians chapter 11:26 “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.”
We celebrate communion together to remember who we are and what we should have as a priority in life while waiting for Jesus to return. We have been bought with His blood to live and serve His kingdom.
In 1 Corinthians chapter 11:23:
23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;
24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
To conclude our communion together we take a collection. This offering is for the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ. This is a voluntary offering and we ask that you give as you are led. We base our giving on the Scriptural text:
I John 3:17-24 “But whoever has the world’s goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. We shall know by this that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before Him, in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. And the one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And we know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.”